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Hope North Newsletter
Issue 2, Spring 2009
Introduction | Autobiographies | Articles
New President of U.S.A., Barack Obama By Lumala Moses
Obama was a child and an adolescent like me. He was born in Hawaii, 47 years ago, to an American mum and a Kenyan dad. Obama was raised mostly by his American grandparents.
Obama was often angry as a teenager because of his father's absence. He even smoked marijuana. Meeting his father's family in Kenya helped him get over these angry feelings. He grew into the brilliant man he is today.
In time, Obama picked great interest in being one of the candidates for the U.S. presidency. His campaign phrase was: Yes, we can! As you all know, Obama won the election on November 4. He took over as the 44th U.S. president in January.
Read Lumala Moses' Autobiography
Can Still Be Seen by Nakalembe Ruth
[In November 2007, the Confederate Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), a meeting between leaders of all of the former colonies of the British Empire, took place in Kampala, Uganda. The government and citizens pulled out all the stops to prepare the country, and Kampala in particular, to show a good face to the world and especially Queen Elizabeth II of England. Many of the structures and changes are still evident today.]
Mzee1 Kags peeled matooke2 in total happiness brought on by her young grandchildren as they sang for her a new song from school.
A few minutes later smiles ambushed her cheeks as one of the pieces of matooke stood in the saucepan as she dropped it there.
“Yah, a visitor must be present at this meal,” said the old one.
“Who is it Mzee and how did you know?” asked one of the innocent generation.
In a terrifying voice the old one explained the myth. “Tradition says that when a piece of matooke stands in the saucepan, it signifies a visitor will dine with you.” The young ones seemed not to realize the significance of their grandmothers story.
Beautification of the village followed as all the ministries were assigned tasks in preparation for visitors. Billions of hard earned cash from this poor village were injected in to many things, most of which were the first of their kind in the village. Yes, just like that, overnight, the heart of this village, unless one was blind, was far better than Obama’s.
The long-waited-for officials smelled the aroma of our beautified village on 23rd November. Many praised our “cleanness” and the preparations we had made for them.
But did they see beyond our efforts? Or did they imagine our village’s odor, the heap of rags in it, the “beautified prostitutes,” the iron bar beatings, beastiality, immoral officers, corruption or the illiteracy levels neighboring poverty?
Of course they couldn’t. Those who could were “beautiful sinners.” Who could visit heaven and think of corruption?
In our magnificent hotels they snored, in our hired posh cars they waved and our fully equipped armed forces guarded them as we, the hosts, embraced our sleep under leaking roofs, overloaded in Matatus3 and kissed Joseph Kony in the north.
My grandfather gained glory as the head of visitors applauded him for his democracy and his fight against “my friend AIDS.” On 25th November, the visitors returned to their villages and we stayed. Yes we stayed and we will stay. Of course we need to credit the cleanliness of our village, security and all they praised, for what they saw can still be seen. I would invite them back abruptly if I could to praise us again.
1. Mzee or Muze is a title for elders.
2. A tough banana that is pealed, sliced, and then boiled for hours into a thick paste. It is the staple carbohydrate of central Uganda.
3. Small white vans used for public transit in Uganda. They are often stuffed beyond capacity so they can make money off of a few more pass
Report on the Boys' and Girls' Dormitory
Summary of reports written by Acca Winnie, Owor Simon and Lumala Moses
The boys have one building that consists of two rooms called Keisha and Clemens because the dorms were built by Keisha Whitaker and Clemens from Holland. The girls live in a two-room dormitory called Blessed Cloud and Mother Hope named by the girls living in each dorm.
The dormitories have well-organized metal beds but there are not enough and most are sleeping two in a bed. Iron sheeting and plastered walls are needed so the dorms won't leak when it rains. The two dormitories are very close together but are far from the latrines and students should not walk up to where it is located at night.
If new dormitories could be built they could be better located and improve the health and sanitation of the dorms due to overcrowding. More space in the dorms could help the Hope North Secondary and Vocational school expand the number of boarding students in the Hope North Community.
Read Owor Simon's Autobiography
Read Acca Winnies's Autobiography
Read Lumala Moses' s Autobiography
Introduction | Autobiographies | Articles
Read the Issue 1 Newsletter
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